Web-guiding mechanism for printing machines



Mg 'J. J. HALLIWELL WEB GUIDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed July 25, l924 iNVEN'TO-R.

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

uuiraosraras PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. HALLIWELL, F TUCKAHQE NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,-TU E. HOE AND 00., INCL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPQRATION OF NEW YORK.

WEB-GUIDING- MECHANISM; FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to certain improvements in mechanism for guiding a web through the printing and impression mem bers of rotary printing machines.

In rotary printing machines where the printing and impression members are cylinders, and particularly in perfecting mechanisms, the web is usually led from one printing couple to the other during the printing so that it hugs or encircles the impression cylinder for a considerable portion of the cylinder surface. To get a good impress on and for other purposes, these impression cylinders are blanketed. It frequently hapcpens that, unless'great care is taken in so -blanketing the cylinders as to make them of equal diameter, a varying tension is put on the web which frequently results in a.

break and, furthermore, such breaks are liable to occur even where the blanketlng 1s carefully done, due to the large surface of the cylinder with which the web is in contact and the consequentdrag on the web. It is a special object of the present invention to rovide means for so guiding the web durmg the printin operation that the amount of surface of the impression cylinder engaged by the web or, as it is termed,

- the hug of the web, is largely decreased,

with the result that the breaks, due to the hu of the web, are avoided and the blanketing of the cylinders does not have to be done with such care, so that considerable 'time is saved in makeup.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction for this purpose, and one that can'be used with printing machines already constructed as well as in new machines. 1

40 With these and other objectsnot specifically referred to, the invention consists in 1 certain novel parts, arrangements and combinations which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing,

,* and the novel features pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed. In thedrawing,- The figure is an end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of so 0 much of a printing machine as is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

Referring now to this drawing, 1 indicates a portion of the side frames of a printing machine in which the operative parts of the they include a 1924. Serial No. 727,610.

mechanism are mounted. In the particular machine chosen to illustrate, the invention, th s printing machine includes a perfecting prlnting mechanism including a pair of form cylinders 2, 3 and a pair of impression,

cylinders 4, 5. The cylinders in the particular construction shown are arranged in line with the impression cylinders adjacent and by the numerals 6, 7.

In accordance with the'invention, guides are provided for guiding the web between the form and the impression cylinders of each couple, so that the bug of the web on the impression cylinders is greatly decreased, the web being guided so that it is kept away from the surface of the form and impression cylinders for the greater part of their periphery, the web being in contact with the cylinders for only a short distance on each side of the impression 1 points. While these means may be somewhat varied, in the particular constructions shown air of guides which are in the form of r0 ls 8, 9, freely rotatable on shafts 10 supported in arms 11 of brackets 12 suitably secured to the side frames of the machine before referred to.

These guide rolls, where rolls are em ployed, are positioned so that the web is kept away from the surface of the cylinder except adjacent'the impression points, and so that as the web passes from the impression cylinder of the first couple to and be tween the cylinders of the second couple it is kept out of enga ement with both the impression cylinders or the greater part oftheir periphery. Therefore, when the cylinders are arranged as shown, one of the rolls is arranged above the first impression cylinder and sli htly to one side of the vertical axis, and tie other guide roll is arranged below the other impression cylinder and slightly to the other side of the vertical axis of the cylinder, so that as the web passes over the top roll and under the bottom roll it is kept free of the cylinders except adjacent the impression points. Cooperating with the guide rolls 8, 9 is the rotary guide roll '13 from which the web indicated by the letter W is led intothe' press and a guide roll 14 from which the web is led from the press, these rolls being arranged so as to keep the web away from the surface of the with the cylinders only adjacent the impres-' sion points, consequently there is less drag on the web and less tendency to breaks, and as the cylinders do not have to be blanketed so carefully considerable time is saved in the makeup.

While the invention has been shown and described in its preferred form, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the character of the guides, and in the arrangement of the impression cylinders without departing from the invention, as defined in the claims hereunto annexed.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, a second printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, all the cylinders of the couples being located closely adjacent and in substantial alignment, and means for indirectly guiding a Web between the, couples for impression, said guides acting to keep the Web away from the surface of the impression cylinders except near the impression points, so that the web is kept out of contact with the surface of the cylinders for the major portion of their surfaces and breaks in the web due to too great a hug of the web about the cylinders are avoided.

2. The combination of a printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, a second printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, all the cylinders of the couples being located closely adjacent and in substantial alignment, and guide rolls arranged to guide the web indirectly through the couples and to keep the web away from the surface of the impression cylinders except near the impression points, so that the web is kept out of contact with the surface of the cylinders for the major portion of their surfaces and breaks in the web due to too great a hug of the web about the cylinders are avoided.

3. The combination of a printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, a second printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, all the cylinders of the couples being arranged in substantial horizontal alignment with the impression cylinders inside and closely adjacent, and guides for indirectly leading a web through the cylinders for impression, said guides acting to keep't-he Web away from the surface of the impression cylinders except near the impression points, so that the web is kept out of contact with the surface of the cylinders for the major portion of their surfaces and breaks in the web due to too great a hug of the web about the cylinders are avoided.

4. The combination of a printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, a second printing couple including a plate cylinder and a blanketed impression cylinder, all the cylinders of the printing couples being arranged in substantial horizontal alignment with the impression cylinders closely adjacent, and guide rolls arranged to lead the web indi rectly through the couples and to keep the web away from the surface of the impression cylinders except near the impression points, so that the web is kept out of contact with the surface of the cylinders for the major portion of their surfaces and breaks in the web due to too great a hu of the web about the cylinders are avoided 5. The combination with a printing couple including a form cylinder and an impression cylinder, a guide roll for guiding the web to and between the cylinders of the couple, a second printing couple including a form and impression cylinder, a guide roll for guiding a web away from the second impression cylinder. and a pair of guide rolls arranged on opposite sides of the impression cylinders for indirectly guiding the web from the first couple to the second couple andvbetween the impression cylinders of the couples, said latter guide rolls acting to keep the web out of contact with the impression cylinder except adjacent the im.- pression points, whereby breaks are avoided.

6. The combination of a printing couple including a form cylinder and an impression cylinder, a second printing couple including a form cylinder and an impression cylinder, the cylinders of the couples being arranged in line with the impression cylinders inside a guide roll for guiding a web to the first couple, a guide roll for guiding the web from the second couple, and a pair of guide rolls on opposite sides of the impression cylinders for indirectly guiding a web from the first couple to the second couple and between the impression cylinders of the couples, said rolls being arranged to {keep the web out of engagement with the impression cylinder except adjacent the impression points, whereby breaks are avoided.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN J. HALLUVELL 

